Unitary coin sorting and counting device



UNITARY COIN SORTING AND COUNTING DEVICE Filed March 13, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MAURICE SE/FERT ATTORNEY March 17, 1970 M. S EIYFERT 3,500,838

UNITARY COIN SORTING AND COUNTING DEVICE Filed March 15, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGS I I 22 24 /6 ,20 38 2 32 #5 42 I2 20 L j L I 30 k /44 I 26 2a 34 I 36 I F/G.5 Y 3/ INVENTOR MAURICE SE/FERT BYM ATTOR EV March 17, 1970 M. SEIFERT 73,500,833

UNI'IARY COIN SORTING AND COUNTING DEVICE Filed March 13, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO/i MAURICE SE/FERT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,500,838 UNITARY COIN SORTING AND COUNTING DEVICE Maurice Seifert, 1201 Claridge Road, Wyndmoor, Pa. 19118 Filed Mar. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 712,726 Int. Cl. G07d 3/16, 19/04, 3/02 US. Cl. 1333 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a coin sorting and counting device, and it particularly relates to a device of this type which is unitarily constructed to both sort and count the coins.

Sorting machines which are adapted to automatically sort out different sizes of coins, such as nickels, dimes, quarters, etc., have, heretofore, been used. However, it was necessary to first sort the coins in one machine, collect them, remove them to the counting machine and then send them through the counting cycle in a second operation. This not only required a relatively large amount of space for the two separate machines, but required two separate and distinct operations with manual handling between the two operations.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages by providing a unitary sorting and counting device wherein both the sorting and counting are provided by one operation in a unitary, compact machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary sorting and counting device of the aforesaid type which is not only compact and easy to handle, but which is relatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: I

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sorting and counting device embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, with some parts broken away and some in section, of the device of FIG. 1, taken generally on line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the adjustable coin guide slot means.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line -55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66' of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sorting guideway of FIG. 8.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a device similar to that of FIG. 1 but utilizing separate actuating means.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown a sorter and counter 3,500,838 Patented Mar. 17, 1970 unit, generally designated 10, comprising a base 12 having a circular recess 14 forming a housing within which is provided a fiat disc 16 mounted for rotation with a vertical shaft 20 (best seen in FIG. 5) and held on the shaft 20 by a cap 22 and washer 24. The shaft 20 is provided with a bevel gear 26 meshing with a ibevel gear 28 that is provided on a drive shaft 30. The shaft 30 is also provided with a bevel gear 32 meshing with a bevel gear 34 on the shaft of an electric motor 36 supported by the base 12.

Mounted on the shaft 30, outwardly of the base 12, is a pulley 38 which is operatively connected to a pulley 40 (note: FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) by an endless drive belt 42. The pulley 40 is mounted on a shaft 44 supported by a block 46 (best seen in FIG. 3) which is positioned in a downwardly-stepped portion at the front of the base 12 and is pivotally connected to the side wall of the base defining the stepped portion by a pivot pin 48. An adjusting screw 50 extends vertically through an aperture adjacent the end of the block 46 that is opposite the pivot 48 and the end of the screw 50 bears on the base 12 to provide an adjusting means to vary the angle of the block on its pivot 48. A tension spring 52 is connected \between the block 46 and the base to bias the block downwardly into a horizontal position. The shaft 44 rotatably supports a rubber friction wheel 54.

An opening is provided at the front edge of the recess .14 adjacent the wheel 54. This front opening is almost completely closed by a plate 56 (shown in detail in FIG. 4) mounted on a bracket 58; The bracket 58 is vertically adjustable on a pin 60 by means of an adjusting screw 62, in order to vary the clearance between the bottom of the plate 56 and the bottom of the aperture at the front of the recess 14. This clearance forms a slot for passage of coins and its vertical width is adjusted to conform with the thickness of the particular coins to be counted. A guide 64 is connected to the plate 56 to guide the coins through the slot.

A counting mechanism of standard design is provided adjacent the wheel 54. This counting mechanism includes a star wheel 66 mounted for rotation on a pin 68 and connected to a gear 70' in mesh with a gear 72 on a shaft 74. The shaft 74 is part of the standard counting device shown generally at 76.

Mounted on the base 12 above the recess 14 is an inclined chute assembly 78. This chute assembly is shown as being divided into three chute channels 80, 82 and 84, by walls 86 and 88. This arrangement may be used to sort, for example, nickels, dimes and quarters. However, any number of such channels may be provided, either more or less than the three shown, depending on the number of different types of coins to be sorted and counted. In the embodiment illustrated, the two outermost channels, and 84, are provided at their lower ends with stop plates, or doors, respectively designated 90 and 92, which are hinged at the side, as at 94 and 96 respectively. The central channel 82 is provided with a stop plate or door 98 which is hinged at the top, as at 100, to a pin 102 extending across the top of the lower end of the channel 82. By this arrangement, when the doors 90 and 92 are open, they extend toward the front and act as baffle plates to prevent the coins passing through the chute assembly from falling sideways, while the door 98, when open, is pivoted out of the way.

Mounted onthe chute assembly 78 is a guideway 104 with a longitudinal guide plate 106 connected thereto in parallel therewith to form a channel therebetween. The guideway 104 is provided with a stepped slot 108 having a narrower portion merging with a wider portion. The guideway 104 and guide plate 106 are connected to a circular housing 110 within which a circular disc 112 is mounted on a rotatable shaft 114. The disc 112 is provided with an annular groove 116 on the peripheral portion of its radial face. A guide bar 118 extending from the guide plate 106, overlies the disc 112 and is provided with an arcuate end mating With the annular inner edge of the groove 116. The guideway 104, guide plate 106 and housing 110 are mounted as a unit in a plane which is inclined both vertically and horizontally to the top plane of the chute assembly 78, so that the coins move under the force of gravity. They are also inclined front to rear to permit the coins to fall through the respective pOrtions of the slot 108.

The disc 112 is driven by the motor 36, in synchronism with the disc 16, by means of a bevel gear 118 mounted on the shaft 30 and meshing with a bevel gear,

120 (note: FIG. The gear 120 is mounted on a shaft 122 having a bevel gear 124 at its opposite end (note: FIG. 2). The gear 124 meshes with a bevel gear 126 at one end of a shaft 128. The shaft 128 extends into a housing 130 and is therein provided with a bevel gear 132 in mesh with a bevel gear 134 on a shaft 136. The shaft 136 is coupled to the shaft 114 on which the disc 112 is mounted.

At the front of the machine is provided a generally cylindrical vertical chute 138 which is adapted to hold the open mouth of a collecting bag for the coins. A generally T-shaped guide 140 overlies the upper open end of the chute 138 and prevents the coins for inadvertently bouncing out.

In the operation of the above-described device, a batch of coins of three different sizes and denominations are poured into the housing 110 while the motor 36 is actuated. The motor simultaneouslyrotates the discs 112 and 16 as well as the wheel 54. The rotation of the disc 112 throws the coins centrifugally into the groove 116 from where they pass over the guide bar 118 and through the channel formed by the guideway 104 and guide plate 106. As they pass down this channel, the smallest coins drop through the narrower portion of slot 108 into the chute channel 80, the next smallest coins drop through the larger portion of the slot into channel 82 and the largest coins pass to the end where they drop into channel 84. If more chute channels are used to accommodate a greater variety of coins, the guideway 104 and guide plate 106 would be lengthened and the slot 108 would be provided with a correspondingly greater number of stepped portions to fit the size of each type of coin.

During this time, a selected one of the doors 90, 92 or 98 would be open. As the coins pass down the corresponding chute channel through the open doorway, they are caught on the rotating face of the disc 16 and centrifugally whirled around the outer peripheral portion thereof, in a clockwise direction. As they pass against the inclined edge of the guide 64 they are individually forced through the slot beneath the plate 56. As they pass through this slot, they are individually contacted by the rotating wheel 54 which moves them toward the chute 138. As they are moved by the wheel 54, they each contact the adjacent arm of the star wheel 66 and move that wheel one step. This actuates the counter, once for each step, through the gears 70 and 72.

The entire operation is a single and continuous movement from the housing 110 to the chute 138, no intermediate handling being required. All that is necessary is to set the machine by opening one of the doors 90, 92 or 98, and then to start the motor. The intermixed coins which are then inserted into the housing 110 are automatically sorted into the various denominations and the particular denomination desired is automatically counted at the same time. Each of the other denominations may then be counted by merely opening the desired door.

It is possible to actuate this machine by hand instead of'using a motor. This can be accomplished by applying a handle, such as shown in dotted outline at 142 ee FIGS. 1 and 2). This handle is releasably connectable to a square end 144 on the shaft 30. The same type of handle may, alternatively, be applied to the square end 146 on shaft 114.

Atlhough less preferable, the machine may be operated by separate handles, one for the sorting portion and one for the counting portion. This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 9 where the machine, generally designated 200, is identical to the machine 10 of FIG. 1 except that a separate handle 202 is used to rotate the shaft 204 (corresponding to shaft 30) while another separate handle 206 is used to rotate the shaft 208 (corresponding to shaft 114). In this modification of the machine, although the fully automatic and continuous operation is not obtained, it is possible to stop the operation of the sorter or the counter independently of each other in the event only one operation is desired at a particular time or in the event of the malfunction of one or the other.

Obviously, many modifications of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as spesifically described.

The invention claimed is:

1. A coin sorting and counting device comprising a base, a first housing on said base, a first rotatable disc within said first housing, an open slot at one peripheral portion of said first housing, a guide means positioned adjacent said open slot and adjacent the peripheral portion of said first disc, a friction wheel rotatably mounted on said base outside said first housing and adjacent said open slot, said friction wheel being ro atable on an axis transverse to the axis of rotation of said first disc, a star wheel mounted for rotation on said base on an axis parallel to the axis of said first disc, said star wheel being positioned adjacent to said friction wheel, a counter operatively connected to said star wheel to register one counted digit for each rotation of the star wheel, a chute assembly mounted 0n said base above said first housing, said chute assembly being inclined from a rear end thereof toward a front end overlying said disc, said chute assembly having a plurality of separate, parallel chute channels therein, each chute channel being defined at the front end thereof by an opening having a door, all of said openings being positioned in a common plane transverse to the axis of rotation of said first rotatable disc and generally parallel with said open slot, the door of each chute channel being selectively movable from an open to a closed position, a guideway mounted on said base transversely to and overlying said chute assembly, said guideway having a stepped slot therein, said stepped slot comprising progressively wider slot portions, a second housing at one end of said guideway, a second disc rotatably mounted in said second housing, a guide means extending from said guideway and overlying a peripheral portion of said second disc, said second housing having an opening therein to permit access to said second disc, and drive means for rotating said disc, friction wheel and star wheel.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the outermost chute channels are provided with doors that are so hinged that they open into positions substantially in alignment with the corresponding walls of the chute channels.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein both discs, the friction wheel and the star wheel are rotated in synchronism by said drive means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said first and second discs are each provided with a separate drive means, said friction wheel and star wheel being driven in synchronism with said first disc.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said drive means is an electric motor.

5 6 6. The device of claim 1 wherein said drive means FOREIGN PATENTS comprises at least one manually actuatable handle. 82,337 11/1956 Denmark References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,776,251 9/1930 Donnellan 133-1 X US. Cl. X.R. 2,165,240 7/1939 Downey 133-8 133-8 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner 

